NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 201 



the axis nearer the head than usual, but this occurs occasion 

 ally in individuals of this species. 



It appears from this discovery that the common red deer of 

 America began its existence at or about the same period as 

 the American horse ; but while the horse became extinct, the 

 deer has survived. In a fresh water marl bed, in Orange 

 county, in New York, I found a horn of an extinct deer which 

 was associated with the remains of the mastodon. The deer 

 of the miocene marl survives, while a more recent species has 

 become extinct, or such is the evidence of facts as they now 

 stand. 



REMAINS . OF THE PORPOISE. 



Several vertebra which appear to have belonged to the 

 porpoise, have been obtained from the marl beds near Rocky 

 Mount. They appear to belong to a species which differs 

 from the common one of the coast. The figure shows the end 

 of the vertebrae to which the intervertebral substance is 

 strongly attached ; the other extremity is smooth. The body 

 is encircled in part with a deep channel or groove, which is 

 connected with the holes which transmit the vessels, and 

 nerves at the base of the spinal arch. 



In addition to the foregoing remains of the order, cetacea, 

 I may mention the occurrence of the Zeuglodon cetoides. 

 (OwEN,) a fossil of the eocene, which was first found in Ala 

 bama, and described by the late Dr: Harlan, of Philadelphia. 

 The teeth are entirely unlike those of the common cetaceans, 

 and belong to a type not very unlike those of the seal. No 

 teeth, however, have as yet been discovered in this State. 

 The remains of this cetacean consist of vertebra which were 

 obtained from Washington, near the line of the Wilmington 

 Eail Eoad. 



One of the largest candal vertebrae of a whale, (fig. 25,) has 

 broad flat transverse processes, standing at right angles to the 

 body of the bone, the articular ends are unequal, the anterior 

 being 5 and the posterior 4f inches in diameter, and circular, 

 with a length of C inches. Of this length the base of the trans 

 verse processes occupies 4 inches, and terminate behind in a 

 rounded notch ; their length is 2-J- inches. 



